i have been a seller on ebay for quite a few years now...on any given day...you'll find me wrapping clothing in tissue wrap or writing up a shipping label...i'm a stickler for customer service because i know the woman (or man) ordering online needs someone on the other end of the computer making sure she has a high quality product...
even with the utmost care...every once in a while i make a mistake...like overlooking a small flaw...such was the case with the woman who ordered a pink silk blouse...when she opened it...she was disappointed to see a tiny spot with the sheen of the silk looking more like a matte finish....i must have missed it...when photographing the blouse...otherwise i would never had shipped it...yet alone...never listed it...she emailed me and asked what she could do about it...as i clearly state that i do not take returns...i told her to ship the blouse back to me...and upon receiving it...i would credit her account...
the next morning she emailed me saying that she felt she would be able to work something out with me...based on all the feedback she had read on my page...she realized that the damage was so small...but knew she wouldn't wear the blouse because of it...i didn't give the incident further thought until i received her feedback on the order...that was about to be canceled...
i was shocked when i read this woman's response...i wouldn't have been surprised to see some negative comments about shipping an inferior product...but that's not what happened...she responded giving me "excellent" ratings for everything...then proceeded to comment on how i handled her problem and how impressed she was by the service...i was touched by the kindness and grace she showed me...
this isn't the first time something like this has happened...i try and run my business smoothly...get everything out in a timely manner...ship product that's in perfect condition...and everyone is pleased...but not terribly surprised...but when i handle a problem in a manner that's respectful, prompt and shows i take responsibility...people sit up and take notice...
making a mistake isn't the end of the world...in fact...i've noticed it's actually an opportunity to be a witness for God...people notice how you handle mistakes much more than how you manage success...admitting mistakes is hard...it always takes me swallowing the pride that threatens to surface...but people are always watching to see what i do...
i'm so relieved i don't have to do everything right...i tried that life for many years...and ended up discouraged...this incident reminded me once again...that even in my weakness...God can still use me to touch another person's life...or reflect His character...
i will probably never meet this customer who purchased from me...(yes...since then...she has bought other items...) but i pray she knows there is a God who stands for honesty and justice...and that there are people who are trying to follow Him...who stumble...yet keep pressing on...
"who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?" 1 peter 3:13
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